Trump is praising McDaniel’s loyalty “to our movement” and says, “I look forward to her serving as the party’s chairman in 2017.”

McDaniel is the niece of 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who sharply criticized Trump throughout the 2016 election campaign. Trump was the first Republican presidential nominee to carry Michigan in 28 years.

The 168-member Republican National Committee is expected to select a new chairman at its winter meeting, scheduled for next month in Washington.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has been asked to serve as Trump’s White House chief of staff. Priebus had supported McDaniel as his successor.